1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to compact power generation devices for use in a wide range of electronic equipment, and operation devices and units for remote control of the equipment.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, some of a wide range of electronic equipment, and operation devices and units for remote control of the equipment have increasingly been provided with built-in batteries for their operation. To address this trend, equipment manufacturers come to have increasing demands for development of compact-sized power generation devices.
Hereinafter, a conventional power generation device will be described with reference to FIG. 10.
FIG. 10 is a schematic view of the conventional power generation device. As shown in FIG. 10, conventional power generation device 1 is provided with magnet member 10 servicing as a movable-side part and yoke member 20 servicing as a fixed-side part.
Magnet member 10 is configured including permanent magnet 11 such that the N pole and the S pole thereof are positioned in the upside and the downside, respectively. To the upper and lower surfaces of permanent magnet 11, upper plate 12 and lower plate 13 are respectively fixed, with the both being made of a magnetic substance. Then, magnet member 10 is rotatable in a clockwise/counterclockwise direction about rotation-axis line 11A that passes through the center of permanent magnet 11.
Yoke member 20 is one that is made of a magnetic substance and formed in a U-shape when viewed from the top, and that is disposed and fixed to such as a case (not shown). The yoke member has left leg 21 interposed between the left part of upper plate 12 and the left part of lower plate 13, and right leg 22 interposed between the right part of upper plate 12 and the right part of lower plate 13. Moreover, center part 23 connects left leg 21 and right leg 22. On the center part, induction coil 25 is wound.
Coil spring 27 is disposed on the lower surface of the left part of lower plate 13. In this way, power generation device 1 is configured with magnet member 10, yoke member 20 on which induction coil 25 is wound, and coil spring 27.
Power generation device 1 is capable of generating electric power by an electromotive force which is induced in induction coil 25 due to changes in a magnetic flux. The operation will be described hereinafter.
In power generation device 1 shown in FIG. 10, magnet member 10 is applied with a force by such as a pressing member (not shown) from the upper left side of upper plate 12, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 10. Then, magnet member 10 remains at rest, with the left part thereof being lowered. That is, in this situation, the lower surface of the left part of upper plate 12 is in contact with left leg 21 of yoke member 20, while the upper surface of the right part of lower plate 13 is in contact with right leg 22. Moreover, coil spring 27 is pressed into a compressed state under the lower surface of the left part of lower plate 13. In a first state, the magnetic flux of permanent magnet 11 flows from the upside N pole through the left part of upper plate 12, through left leg 21, center part 23, and right leg 22 of yoke member 20, through the right part of lower plate 13, to the downside S pole of permanent magnet 11, in this order. Hereinafter, the state shown in FIG. 10 is referred to as the first state.
In the first state, when the applied force indicated by the arrow in FIG. 10 is removed, coil spring 27 is released from the compressed state, which allows magnet member 10 to rotate clockwise about rotation-axis line 11A. Then, the magnet member comes to rest in the state where the upper surface of the left part of lower plate 13 is in contact with left leg 21 of yoke member 20, while the lower surface of the right part of upper plate 12 is in contact with the right leg 22. Hereinafter, the state where coil spring 27 is released from the compressed state is referred to as the second state.
In the second state, the magnetic flux of permanent magnet 11 flows from the upside N pole through the right part of upper plate 12, through right leg 22, center part 23, and left leg 21 of yoke member 20, through the left part of lower plate 13, to the downside S pole of permanent magnet 11, in this order.
That is, upon turning to the second state, the magnetic flux inside yoke member 20 begins to flow in the opposite direction to that in the first state, which causes a change in the direction of the magnetic flux. Correspondingly to the change, a predetermined electromotive force is generated in induction coil 25. Through the use of the electromotive force, a predetermined electric power is obtained via coil wires at the both ends across induction coil 25.
Conversely, when the state is returned from the second state to the first state by rotating magnet member 10 counterclockwise by such as pressing it with a pressing member, the magnetic flux in yoke member 20 begins to flow in the opposite direction to that in the second state. This also generates a predetermined electromotive force correspondingly in induction coil 25, allowing the predetermined electric power via the coil wires.
It is noted that Patent Literature 1, for example, is known as the information on the conventional technology related to the invention disclosed in the present application.